Card preparing machine



Jam 19, 1954 E. K. sTANDlsH CARD PREPARING MACHINE Filed Feb. 26, 1948 8Sheets-Sheet l Jan- 19, 1954 E. K. sTANDlsH CARD PREPARING MACHINE FiledFeb. 26, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 f A Q w 6 j@ E W e 7 4 M E W a 9 Q 114.//a 118' f )U6 l@ mw INVENTOR Z22/ward /Kana'fls 444W ATTORNEYS 8Sheets-Sheet 3 Q. .s M m m m m m 11,11%@ M0 M N IIIL E. K. STANDISH CARDPREPARINQ MACHINE 141 in" [lun w La t INVENTOR 'I Edf/afd' /ZJa/zdz' l@y mga/Maza? ATTORNEYS Jan. 19, 1954 Filed Feb. 2e. 1948 E. K. STAN DISHCARD PREPARING MACHINE Jan. 19, 1954 Filed Feb. 26. 1948 mmv .www

INVENTOR Edward Szqmls ATTORNEYS Jan. T9, T9521 E. K. sTANDlsi-av2366543 CARD PREPARING MCHINEA Filed Feb. 26, 1948 a sheets-sheet 5ATTORNEYS Jan.19,1954 1 E K STANDS., 2,666,543

CARD PREPARING MACHINE ATTORNEYS Jan. 19, 1954 2,666,543

E. K. STANDlSH CARD PREPARING MACHINE 'Filed Feb. 26. 1948 ssheets-sheet 7 mumllulyllllllmluil |A 'y A Illlllllllmllll;|||||I|lIlllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'I I ht I l A ATTORNEYS Jan. 19, 1954 E,K. STAND|S|| 2,666,543

CARD PREPARING MACHINE y Filed Feb. ze, 1948 s sheets-sheet a;

Patentecl Jan. 19, 1,954`

UNITED 4STATES PATENT OFFICE GARD PREPARING MACHINE Vporation ofDelaware Application yFebruary ,26, 19.48, Serial No. 11,055

(Cl. Zhi-252) 2-8 Claims.

Y l l Y This invention relates Yto card preparing apparatus and moreparticularly to a card preparing and adhesive applying machine orapparatus for preparing cards with openings in them, withpressure-sensitive adhesive material applied to the cards around theopenings and with 4a removable protective cover sheet in the opening, orwith a section of microfilm or the like in the opening, secured to thepressure-sensitive naolhesive material. e

The improved machine or apparatus of the invention is intended andadapted for preparing classication cards, such vas are used inmechanical punching, sorting, vand classifying machines and other cardswhich are intended to have small sections of microfilm and the Vllikemounted in openings therein.

The new machine has a number of cooperating n and timed elements andparts for feeding the cards successively to a number .of stations Wheretimed relation in a rapid and automatic manner.

The invention includes a complete machine made up of a number ofcooperating elements or mechanisms as ,Well as Various subcombinationsthereof which when used together kalso form new machines. The vinventionalso includes improvements in mechanism for various operations.

The machine with all `of its elements and parts, various elements andparts of which ca n he advantageously used Without others, includes thefollowing successive stations and operations: "(l) a card supple7 hopperand feeding device for feeding the cards successively; (2) -a cardpunching or dieing out station, advantageously combined with acompressing xoper-ation, with ffm-echanism for forming an aperture inthe card and for compressing the portion of the :ca-rd around theaperture to form a depression therein for receiving the edge of thepressure-sensitive yadi-- hesive material; (3) a station with mechanismfor applying a section of pressure-sensitive material to the card tocover the opening therein; (4) a station Where the central portion ofthe sheet of adhesive materialis cut out and removed to leave a marginof such material extending into the opening in the card around itsedges; (5a) a station where a removable protection sheet is cut out andapplied to the opening 'in contact with such margin of adhesive materialor (5b) a station where a section of microilm or the like is cut out andapplied to the opening against the marginal edge of Ypressure-sensitive'the successive operations are carried out in material; and -(6) aAstation where `the finished i cards are stacked.

The `complete machine includes mechanism for each ,of the foregoingoperations together with means vfor feeding cards individually ,andintermittently from the card feed hopper successively `to the diiferentStages, `to be operated on .successively; and operatingrmeans forAoperating the mechanisms at the different stations simultaneously onsuccessive `cards as they are fed progressively from the feed hopper tothe first station and from each station to the next vand finally to thecard stacking hopper or to other place of collection of the iinishedcards.

While the complete vmachine advantageously includes all of the ,stationsabove referred to and is adapted Afor feeding ,blank .cards and formaking finished cards with ,a microlm or the like se cured in place linthe opening .against ythe pressure-sensitive adhesive material, or formaking finished cards With `a protective cover .sheet such as glassineSellred in .the .opening in the card against the adhesive material, .themachine includes elements which can .be .used in various subcomhinationsto particular advantage. If the cards :have previously been providedwith an aperture or opening therein, the punching opera.- tion can 'beomitted and the machine used as a mountingmachinejfor .applying ,theadhesive ma.- terial and Afor vmounting Imicroiilms and the like in .theopening `against the ,adhesive material. 'If -cards are ,desired with`he pressure-sensitive adhesive material extending over the ,entireop..- ening in the card, the diei-ng out operation for cutting out thecentral portion of .the adhesive Sheet can .be omitted. ,If cards,aredesired which 'have an opening therein and la compressed shoulderaround the opening, for subsequent .treat-- ment in a mounting machinethe feeding and punching and compressing operations ,can,advantageousliy be carried Without .the subsequent operations.

mechanism and the mechanism of ,the various stations in timed relationso that the cards yare operated on at -the successive .stationssimultaneously and are -gthen jfed bythe feeding ,device from -ea-chstation to the next intermittently.'

between such simultaneous operations. ln additionk to the completemachine and new subcombinations of elements and mechanism thereof theinvention includes improvements in mech anism for feeding the cardssuccessively and intermittently from the card supply hopper to thesuccessive stations; improvements in punching and compressing mechanismfor forming the openings or apertures in the cards and for forming acompressed shoulder around the opening; improvements in mechanism forapplying the pressure-sensitive adhesive material to the card includingsupply means for supplying a continuous roll of pressure-sensitiveadhesive material and protective cover sheet, separating the adhesivesheet from the cover sheet, cutting off sections of the adhesivematerial and applying it to the card around the opening; improvements indieing out mechanism for punching out the central portion of theadhesivematerial in the opening to leave a margin of pressure-sensitiveadhesive material extending into the opening; improvements in mechanismfor applying protective cover sheet material such as glassine andcutting out sections thereof and inserting it in the opening in the cardagainst the pressure" sensitive adhesive material; improvements insupplying microlm and the like and cutting out film sections andmounting them in the opening in the card against the pressure-sensitiveadhesive material; and improvements in stacking mechanism for stackingthe nished cards.

The operating mechanism and the mechanism at the various stations areadvantageously so constructed that one or more of the operatingmechanisms can be omitted or rendered inactive While using others invarious combinations.

The cards which the improved machine of the present invention isparticularly designed to prepare are classification cards such as areused in mechanical punching, sorting and classifying systems such asthose of the International Business Machines Company of the so-calledMc- Bee System. Such cards are commonlyk made of thin, hard material ofa thickness around 0.007 inch in thickness, more or less. Thepressure-sensitive adhesive material used in preparing the cards has athickness, for example, of around 0.001 inch, more or less, and is advantageously of thin, transparent material such as cellophane orcellulosic sheet material coated with pressure sensitive adhesive, suchas the products sold under the trade names Clearseal and Duroseal Theprepared cards are intended particularly for the insertion in theopenings against the pressure-sensitive material of sections ofmicrofilm or motion picture lm sections or frames, or transparent ortranslucent material having addresses or other typed or printed matterthereon.

The improved machine enables the finished cards with the sections ofmicrolm or the like therein to he prepared, where this is desired. r1`heimproved machine is also particularly advantageous for preparing cardswith a removable protective cover sheet of glassine or the like in theopening against the pressure sensitive adhesive material, which cardscan be subsequently used, by removal of the protective layer, andinsertion of the sections of microfilm or the like therein, forpreparing the final cards.

The nature and advantages of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following more detailed description illustrating a preferredemhodiment thereof, but it is intended and understood that the inventionis illustrated thereby but is not limited thereto.

The improved machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 shows the card preparing machine in perspective an-d withparts broken away;

Fig. 2 shows in perspective a modified iorm of part of the machine,particularly a nlm reel for use when microlms or the like are to heinserted in the openings in the card, instead oi the removableprotective cover sheet;

Fig. 3 shows in six views, (a) to (f), a classification card atsuccessive stages, from the initial card to the finished card;

Fig. 4 is a partial longitudinal section taken approximately along thelines Q--l o Fig. l, showing part of the card feed mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a partial transverse sectional vieu7 taken approximately alongthe line .l5- t o Fig. 1 and showing part of the card feed mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line E-t of Fig.5 but showing the card feed picked unit and the upper card -feed slidein elevation;

Fig. 6 (a) is a plan View of the card feed picker unit taken along theline @cz-Ea of Fig. s;

Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional View of the card punching andcompressing unit taken approxi mately along the line '.l-'l of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional View of the adhesive material feeding,separating, cutting and applying units taken approximately along thelines 8-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a front view partly in elevation and with parts in section, ofthe adhesive material feeding, separating and applying units take" alongthe lines 9 9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the pressure applying rocker member, alsoshown in Fig. l1;

Fig. 11 is a transverse elevational view of the adhesive materialapplying mechanism, also shown in Fig. 8, but with the transer arm inposition for applying the adhesive section;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged end View of the vacuum distributor unit as seenfrom the position indicated by the arrows l2-l2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a further enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the vacuumdistributor unit taken along the lines i3-i3 o1" Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a front View, mainly in elevation, but partly in section,taken along the lines EJs-lf3 of Fig. 1 showing the punch and die unitsfor punching out the adhesive sheet;

Fig. 15 is a transverse section view taken along the lines l5-l5 o Fig.la and i-l o Fig. l;

Fig. 16 is a transverse elevational view partly in section takenapproximately along the line iG-l of Fig. 1 and showing 'the mechanismfor supplying the protective cover sheet or the microlm, etc.;

Fig. 17 is a plan view taken along the line l'l-ll of Fig. 16 showing astrip of nlm as it fed to the machine;

Fig. 18 is a front View partly in elevation and partly in section takenalong the lines iiiwl of Fig. l and showing the mechanism for applyingthe protective cover sheet or film also show ing the card stackingmechanism;

Figs. 19 to 25 show the se'en cams mounted on the cam shaft i'oroperating the different parts of the machine, with the approximateshapes of the cam paths indicated thereon;

Fig. 19 is a front view of the rst cam from the left end of the machineas shown in Fig. l, this cam operating the card eed mechanism;

Fig. 2d shows the second cam as viewed from I,chine include thefollowing:

amongst:

the left in Fig. 1, this cam .operating 'the card' punching :andcompressing mechanism;

Figs. 21m) and (fb.) :show the two sides of the third cam of Fig. iwhich operate the pressure applying rocker .for the `adliesive materialyand the cutting knife for the adhesive material .respectively;

Figs. 22m) and (b) show the two sides ,of .the fourth .cani of Fig. 1for operating the .adhesive material feed mechanism and the .adhesivematerial transfer mechanism;

Figs. 23m) vand (fb) show the two sides of the fifth cam of Fig. 1 foroperating the `adhesive material punch and die Fig. :24.u is a frontview of the sixth cam .of Fig. .i for actuating the mechanism forapplying the protective cover strip ortllm mechanism.; and

Fig. 25 is a front view of the seventh 'cam of Fig. 1 which operates thecard ystacking mecha-.-

nlsm.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Referring to Fig. 1, 4the machine illustrate-d has abed plate l which carries the Yoperating parts of the mechanism, thisbed plate having sup.- porting frames 2 and 3 at its ends.

The mechanism is driven through the main drive shaft 4, supported in:bearings 5 .and 1i at the ends of the machine in brackets dependingfrom the 'bed `plate l by an electric motor 110 'and sprocket 9yconnected by the Ychain 8 with vthe sprocket on the driveshaft. v Themotor is controlled by a switch I c' yon the bed plate. Ahand wheel I2is also xe'd to the drive shaft to permit turning it by hand. Thisimainshaft 4 drives the cam shaft I5 through pinion gear1 I8 on the driveshaft and spur gear `I7 on the cam shaft. The cam shaft has"bearings inthe end brackets, one of which is indicated at I6. Anda thirdintermediate bearing I9 is also provided for the cam shaft in a bracketdepending from the bed plate.

Mounted on the 4cam shaft |55 are seven cams for operating the camlevers which in turn operate the various mechanisms, these Ycams beingso positioned and timed as to carry out the sequence of operations whichwill .be hereinafter described.

The bed plate I has a card feed 4trough 34 formed in its top surfaceextending from one end to the other :and through which the cards are fedfrom the card feed hopper 3B (Fig. 1') through the various stations .tothe card stacking hopper 38. In the area of this card feed trough, andoperating through openings in the bed plate, are the various punches anddies, etc. required for operating on the cards at the successive stages.And below this trough, and in front of the Various punches and dies, arelocated two grooved slides 35 and 35 (shown in cross-section in Figs. 7and 8) which extend from the left side ofthe machine of Fig. 1 to aposition just -short of the left side of the Vhopper `38 of Fig. 1,these slides, with other cooperating parts, hereinafter described,serving to feed the cards at spaced-intervals -to the -successivestations. 'Cover plates 4d extend ,overr the card feed trough vand.cover `the 2cards'between stations.

The'various stations and loperations of the mal. The card hopperindicated generally at .all inFig. 1 containing the cards which are tobe fed intermittently and successively .to the card feed trough 34;

2. The punch and compression unit indicated generally at 4t in Fig. 1wherean opening punched thewcard and .a compressed portion is formed.around the opening, this unit .carrying a punch for punching theaperture and compression members for producing the depression around theaperture;

3'. The adhesive 'material :applying mechanism indicated generally iat5G .and 5I in Fig. 1 where the :roll of transparent pressure-sensitivematerial and protective coating vsuch as glassine jis supplied from areel '55, the glassine 4separated from the adhesive material, and asection of the adhesive material cutout and applied to the card around,the opening;

4. vA punching unit having .die mechanism for dieing out the centralportion of the sec-tion of adhesive material inthe opening and to leavea marginal edge of adhesive material ex-tending into the opening, thisunit being indicated Kgenerally at Sli in Fig. l;

Feeding and kapplying mechanism indicated generally at 18 and :1:9 inFig. 1 for feeding the glassine protective sheet or nlm and for cuttingolf sections ythereof and applying them .in the open-ing the Acardagainst the pressure-sensitive material;

6. 'The 'card `stacking hopper indicated generally at 38 in Fig. 1 wherethe finished cards .are stacked.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated a card at its various stages. The .blank card3| is supplied .to the feed hopper 3i). The card after punching theopening 48 therein and forming the compressed portion or depression i9therein at the punching and `compression station is shown in Fig. 3(1)).After the application of the adhesive sheet 53 the card v552 has theappearance Vindicated in Fig. 3(.c). After cutting out the centralportion of the adhesive material the resulting card 69 with the frame ofadhesive material Eil overlapping the edge ofthe card Yand extendinginto the opening is shown in Fig. '3(d). rIhe shape .of the opening inthe adhesive material may advantageously have a bowed edge at onesection, as indicated at "l'I. The card Sil -of Fig. B-(e) has atemporary and .removable cover sheet :8l of glassine, etc. secured in.the opening against the marginal rim of the pressure-sensitive adhesivematerial. And the card .9 of Fig. 31(1) has a section of microfilm orthe like similarly inserted in the .opening against th-epressure-sensitive adhesive material.

the following more detailed description of the various operating partsand mechanism, each part lwrllfor convenience be .separately described.But it will be understood that .the successive parts .of the 'machineYare simultaneously operated through the common drive mechanism and camshafts and connecting parts so that each station will performitsoperations at the same or practically the same vtime and the cardswill be fed successively and intermittently from one station to anotherso that each card willV pass successively through the diiferent stationswhile .different cards are being .operated .on simultaneously atdiffelcrlt-V sta-tions.

.Card 'feeding mechanism the next. In this trough, as above described,are

located the various punches and dies, etc. re-' quired for thesuccessive operations. In front of the various punches and dies islocated a groove H32 extending from the left or feed end of the machine(Fig. l) into the left side of the hole in the bed plate under thestacking hopper 33. And in this groove |32 are located the card feedslides SI and 355 which have laterally projecting edges 33 and lilisliding in slots |05 and IUE formed in the side walls of the groove |02.(See Figs. 5 and 7.)

The slides 35 and 36 are movably connected to each other by a series ofcard feed latches 31, four in number, only the first one of which isshown in Fig. 4. This latch is located in slots ills and it@ in theslides 35 and 36. The latch 3l is pivoted to the slide 35 by a pin l'iand has a diagonal slot i i i in which a pin HB carried by the lowerslide it operates. The latch 31' also has an upwardly projecting cardfeeding lip ||2. The lower slide 3o has a gear rack 39 which isreciprocated by a segment gear 40 carried by arm si, pivotally mountedin bracket il?. and actuated by the first cam 22 through the adjustablecoupling element f3.3 and the cam follower 43- operating in the cam path22 (Fig. 19). The operation of the cam imparts reciprocatingrmotion tothe segment gear lill and through it to the slides and 35.

Referring to Fig. fl, as the lower slide 3S is moved to the right by theoperation of the segment gear its the pin im on the slide t moves to theright of the diagonal slot iii and causes the lethand portion of thelatch 3l to pivot upwardly about the pin lill on the upper slide 35. tothe position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, thus raising the lip iii.Continued forward movement will cause the slides 3E and 35 to movetogether and will cause tl`e projecting lip H2 to engage the leit ortrailing end of the card and move it to its successive station. When thespur ear segment do reciprocated in the opposite direction, the lowerslide 3% will first be moved to the left (Fig. 4) and the movement ofthe pin E i5 in the diagonal slot i i i will cause the lefthand end or"the latch el to be lowered to the position shown in dotted lines and theslides and latch will then move together back to the initial position.During this backward movement the projecting lip im will be loweredbelow the bottom of the card feed trough til and without contact ci thelatch with the card.

Four latches 3l such as illustrated in Fig. 4 are spaced apart along theslides 35 and 36 and the length oi' the stroke or the segment gear il@is predetermined and adjusted to move each card through the trough ttfrom one operating position to the next. The other latches are not shownin the drawing except for a portion of the last latch in Fig. l.

The feeding device for feeding the blank cards from the feed hopper 3dincludes a picker plate 32 secured to the leithand end of the slide 35as shown in Figs. Il, 6 and 6(11). This plate 32 is cut away at itsright end as indicated at H3 to provide two tongues H5 and H23 withinclined ramp portions iid and lil and has card feed picker members lieand iis secured thereto and projecting slightly above the upper surfaceof the plate S and having their forward edges or lips i i8 and iis"extending upwardly for a sucient distance to engage the rear edge of asingle card 3i as the plate 32 is moved to the right by the action ofthe card feed slides 35 and 35. The plate 32 has a lateral guide iin |20sliding in a corresponding groove (not shown) formed in the bed plateThe inclined portions of the picker ramps i I and il serve to raise andguide the back end of the lowermost card in the hopper Sii intoengagement with the lips IIS and HS of the pickers and assist inpreventing more than one card at a time from being engaged by thepickers.

The card feed hopper 3@ has end plates |25 and |21 and side plates |28and |29 connected and supported by corner angle members |36 carried bybrackets |3| on the bed plate I. The right hand end plate |2 has amounting plate |25 which carries van upper throat member |22 which formsthe upper member of a throat through which the cards pass and which isso located as to prevent. more than one card passing therethrough at atime. This throat is located between the upper member |22 and thevthroat block |2| which is located in a recess formed in the bed platebelow the card feed trough 3l! and is positioned in approximately thecenter thereoi` with its top surface ilush with the bottom of thetrough. The upper portion of block |2| is provided with small holes |23which communicate through suitable ducts with a vacuum conduit |25extending downwardly through the bed plate and connected with the vacuumpump 63 (see Fig. l). vSuction is constantly applied through the holesH23 so that, as a card is pushed through the throat and slides over theblock 112|, it is held against this block and away from the upper memberE22 so that, even though the cards may be slightly buckled or Warped,the cards will be held dat as they enter and pass through this throat.The upper throat member |22 is adjustable to vary the thickness of thethroat to insure that only one card passes through at a time.

Card punching and compressing mechanism The cutting `and compressionmechanism it for punching the opening iii in the card and for formingthe compressed margin i9 around the edges of the opening (Fig. 3b) isshown in perspective in Fig. l and in vertical transverse section inFig. 7.

Mounted underneath the bed plate i is the block M@ supported by boltsl-H which extend therethrough from the upper frame Vmember M2. Theforward end of the block iii@ (at the left in Fig. 7) supports the dieblock |43, which extends up through an opening in the bed plate land hasits top vsurface even with the bottom of the card trough 54. The blockitil has `an opening |46 below the die opening M5 in the die block; anda suitable chute is shown at Uil for carrying away the punched outportions of the cards.

Above the bed plate l the punch and compression unit #i6 has a bottomplate member |50 mounted thereon, two side plate members I5! and |52 anda back plate member |53 mounted on the bottom plate, and a top framemember |42, these members enclosing the punch and compression elementsil@ and t5, respectively, except at the front and lbeing held togetherby the bolts |i| extending from the top frame member |42 to the blocki453.

The elements (l5, il@ of the punch and compression unit (it are mountedin a vertically slidable block |68 which is actuated through thevertical toggle |62 and horizontal toggle llt by the cam 23. Thevertical toggle is made up of upper and lower links |63 and |66 pivotedtogethe'r at. |65, withl the upper link. pivotedl at ll to thevertical-ly adjustable block. |54' and with. the lower link pivo'tedl at|51' to the verticall'y slidable block |681 The vertical toggle isfconnected through link |14 with the'. horizontal toggle, this linkVbeing. pivoted to the verticalI toggle at |55 and' to one arm of thehorizontal toggle at` |15-, This. pivot` [T5 is a shaft mounted in thehorizontal slide' member H6. The horizontal toggle is made upy or" linksH53 and [111 pivoted together at |81., with the link |55 pivotallyconnectedv to the connectingr link H and with the link |11 pivotallyconnected at I-Ti'-Y with the stationary block |19 carried bythe backplate member |53'. The horizontal toggle is pivotally connected at |8.|'with a connecting elementv made up of upper and lower members |89' and|83 and the adjustable coupling member |82, the lower member beingpivoted at [8d tothe vertically reciprocating cam slide |85 movingbetween guides |186 depending from. the bed plate |l and actuated bycam. 23 through cam follower |55 (Fig. 2D) travelling in the cam path23".

The upper supporting blockv |51i for the vertical toggleY is verticallyadjustable. It is supported. from the top plate H121` by the bolt |551which passesA through a slot |56 inv the wedge block i511 which ismoi/"able and adjustable laterally by theA stud bolt' which extendsthrough the back: plate` |5?rand' has the collar |551' thereon. Byloosening the bolt |55 and turning the stud bolt |58. the wedge block|51 can be moved forward or backward with respect to the block i@-sothat the latter can be adjusted vertical-ly and held in adjustedposition on tighteningV thebolt |55.

The support block 585 slides in groovesl formed the side plates andv |52in which gibs |12 (Fig. 1) are provided for accurately centering thesupportv block and insuring that the punch carried thereby is accuratelypositioned, these gibsv being adjustable (by means' notV show-n) to:insure such accurate positioning of the die punch.

The removable cutting punch or die |519 is carried by the member' 1&5and removably secured theretov by the set bolt lll?. The member 451s inturn removably mounted. in the block |68 and held therein by the setbolt |63; The'l punch |16- is' located abo-ve the opening L45 the dieblock |43 and is oi" corresponding size. The car-v rier block. 45 issomewhat larger than the puinch Hitso that asurroundingv shoulderportion' 415 is provided on the bottom of the. carrier block'.r

Fig.. 7 shows the cutting compressing elements |50, i5 in raisedposition before the opening 4h and depression or shoulder 4B: are formedin the card d'1. When the cutting and com-pressing mechanism is actuatedbythe. cam 7 and the toggles |62, |13 are moved to the position shown indotted lines in` Fig. '1, the downward movement ofthe: punch E115. cutsouttheopeni g Iii!v in the card (Fig. 311)' and' the'. further downwardymovement causes the shoulder d5" to: press the edge of the card aroundthe. opening forml the shoulder or depression? @it (Fig. 3h). The amountof compression which will' be applied to` the card to produce thedepression around the edge of' the aperture may beY regulated byadjusting the upper verticallyv adjustablev block |54 as above'described and' also byl aditmting' the' adj-ustab'leI coupler |52connects the members |86 and |83. y Y

r'Phe size and shape f the 4S inthe card 5| can'fbe varied by varyingthe shape and size of' the punch member |735 and' of the die opening|451 in the die block |43; The size and depth of the depression orshoulder i9 in the card around the opening can also be variedV byvarying' the shoulder 451 on the block 45 and by adjusting the mechanismas above described to vary the amountl of compression. With'the hardclassiiicati'c'ii-icards: of the order of @.097 inchv in thickness, apressure of several thousand pounds per: square inch is usuallynecessary to form a depression of e. g. 0100iV inch or thereabouts. Incaseit is desired to form an opening in the card withoutl forming ashoulderor depression around the openingy the shoulder f can be omittedor the sliding block [5E can be adjusted upwardly so that the shoulderdoes not compress the card when the punch member |10 moves downwardly tocut the opening in the card.

Adhesive material feeding, separating, cutting and applyingmechanism Thenext station to which the card' is moved, after the punching of theopening is and the forming ofthe depression 49 therein, is the stationat which a piece or patch of pressuresensitive adhesive materialv isapplied to the card over andl around the opening to form the card 52shown in Fig. 3c, having the patch of adhesive material 53 covering theopening and with its edges in the depression around the opening.

The mechanism for supplying., cutting and applying the adhesive materialis indicated generally by the parts 50 and 5|. in Fig. 1 and furtherillustrated in Figs. 8 to 1,3. The feeding, separating` and applyingunits are indicated generally at 5|) and' the cutting unit for cuttingthel adhesive material at 5|. Y

The adhesive material illustrated is thin, transparent, pressure'.-sensitive adhesive of around' O UOI inch thick, made of cellophane orother transparent sheet material having a slowacting'pressure-sensitivecoating of transparent material on one side thereof. commonly suppliedin rolls with the adhesive sideV of the sheet covered by a. removablecover sheet, e; g., of glassine paper. Such pressuresensi-ti've adhesivematerials are marketed under the trade'names Clearseal and DuroseaL forexample.

Referring to Fig. l, a roll of such adhesive material is shown ascarried by the reel 55 supported by the member |97 and from. this rollthe two-layer, covered adhesive tape or strip 54 is fed around the guideroll |98 and through a trough 56' and passes between the lower vacuumroll 5-1 and the glassine stripper roll 5.8 where separation of theadhesive material from the glas'sine cover sheet takes place. Theserolls are rotated intermittently, and vacuum is applied to a portion ofthe vacuum roll 51, as hereafter described, to hold` the adhesivematerial. The glassinehpaper removed from the adhesive material passesupwardly over the roll 5S and between it and the roll 59. Where thisglassine is to be subsequently applied to the openings in the cards, ata later stage of operation, as illustrated in Fig. 1, this separatedglassine sheet Si) `passes over the quarter turn roll 64 and then overthe roll 14 to the station where it is to be further used.

The adhesive strip 6|, after separation from the glassine cover strip65, passes down around part of the Vacuum ro1l51 and down through theopening 254 (Fig. 8) Where it is held against the This material is guideplate 2.55 by a blast of air from the jet A predetermined length of thisadhesive material l is out off by the knife 252 (Fig. 8) and held byvacuum against the member 29e (Fig. 8). And While so held the rotationof this member to the position shown in Fig. 11 transfers the cut oilportion of adhesive material to a position where it can be applied toand pressed down on the card around the opening The feeding, separating,cuttings transferring and applying operations are so timed that a patchof adhesive material will be ready to apply to each card as it issuccessively brought into position for such application. In thisposition, as shown in Figs. 8 and 11, the card 52 has its openingpositioned above the opening |90 in the support block |9|V which ismounted in an opening in the bed plate l, the top of which, |92, evenwith the bottom of the card trough 34.

Most of the mechanism for applying the adhesive material is supported byor located Within a box-like support frame With side plate members |93vand |94 having flanges |95 and |96 mounted on the bed plate l. Anupwardly eX- tending arm |99 has the idler guide roll |83 mountedtherein; and the upwardly extending arm I9? supports the adhesive supplyreel 55. The trough is supported by the inclined top plate 2e@ of abox-like support frame.

The vacuum roll 5l' is keyed to the shaft 2t! supported in bearings EQ2and 2%3 in the side plates |95, lii. A spur gear 2134 is also fixed tothe shaft 2i! i, adjacent the vacuum roll. A roller clutch 2o@ having aspur gear ZES is also mounted on the shaft 2i? l. this spur gearengaging with the segment ,2GB of the lever Ztl pivoted at 2539 and theother end of which is connected with the cam 25. rihe arrangement issuch that as the spur gear segment 2&8 moves upwardly and downwardly, bythe action of the cam, the spur gear 256 will cause the vacuum roll torotate lntermittently, the roller clutch 205 causing the roll., to movewith the spur gear in one direction but not in the other. Also mountedon the shaft 253|, but not keyed thereto, is the spur gear 3 I5 whichmeshes with the segment gear 3|8 of the arm 3|'| pivoted at 239 and theother end of which is connected to the cam 25. The gear 3|5 also mesheswith segment gear 3M of the adhesive patch transfer and pressureapplying mechanism hereafter described. v

The connection between the level` 201 and the cam includes an adjustablesliding member Z lil (of similar construction to the slide M39 of Figs.16, 18 and l) pivoted to the connecting rod 2H which in turn isconnected through an adjustable coupler 2 f to a connecting rod (notshown) which in turn is pivotally connected to the cam slide li3 (Fig.22a). This connection to the cam slide is similar to that illustrated inFig. 7 and that indicated for the cam slide 323 shown at the bottom ofFig. .8 for the front of the cam, the cam slide 2 i3 being on the backof the cam as shown in Fig. 8. The slide 2| 3 has a cam follower 2 I3'actuated by the cam path 25' (Fig. 22a), so that the arm g will berotated back and forth around its pivot The righthand end 2M of thereciprocating lever fill has a segment gear Zil thereon which mesheswith the spur gear icl on the shaft 40S, which actuates part of themechanism shown in Fig. lf, this shaft |56 extending from the adhesivematerial applying unit 5B to the protective sheet or lin applying unit18.

The glassine stripper roll 58 is rubber covered,

and fixed to'the shaft 2lb mounted in bearings 2lb and 2H in the twoarms 2|@ and 2|@ of a support member 22S pivotally mounted on shaft 222supported in bearings 223 and 22d in the side frame members it, lll. Theupper portions of arms 2|8 and 2te have open bearing slots in which theshaft 225 of the rubber covered separating roll 59 is mounted. The gear22| on the shaft 2|5 meshes With the gear 254 fixed on the vacuum rollshaft 253| and also with the gear 226 of the separating roll Thearrangement of these gears is such that as the vacuum roll 5l rotatesintermittently in counterclockvvise direction in Fig. 8 the rubbercovered ro E8 rotates in a clockwise direction and the roll 5i; in acounterclockwise direction. The teeth of the gears connecting theserolls have a depth such that the rubber covered rolls will normallypress against each other and the lower rubber covered roll will pressagainst the vacuum roll.

The righthand end of the pivotally mounted support member 225i (Fig. 8)has an arm 22?, the under surface of which has a recess 22@ for receiving a spring 229, the lower end of which is seated in a cup 23@affixed to the upper frame member Edil. A hand lever t3! is connected tothe shaft 222 to permit rotating the member 22@ around the shaft 222when it is desired to raise the roll 58 to insert the double layer ofadhesive and protective material between this roll and the vacuum rollel. The action of the spring 22S together with the weight of the rolls59 and 53 holds roll 58 in engagement with the vacuum roll 5l in normaloperation. The pressure of these rolls insures that the composite sheetof adhesive and protective material will be moved forward intermittentlyand to a predetermined extent as the rolls are intermittently rotated,While the separated glassine material will be similarly carried betweenthe rolls 58 and 59.

The guide roll 6d over which the glassine sheet Sii passes after itleaves the rolls 5B and 5S is supported by a bracket 35 adjustablymounted on the shaft 236 carried by the holder 237i, carried by rod ZESheld by clamp 238 secured to the side frame member |93.Y

The vacuum roll 5l is provided with numerous small suction holes 2d@through which suction is applied to the smooth outer surface of theadhesive sheet. As shown in Fig. 9, each series of holes 24S, drilled inthe periphery of the roll 5l, tei'- minates in a common duct 25M. Oneend of this duct is closed Within the roll and the other end terminatesin the left face of the roll as shown in Fig. 9. A stationary vacuumblock 2&2 has an arcuate groove 2&3 formed in the face thereof adjacentthe roll 5l", and a hole 22d-l leading from this arcuate groove, asshown in Fig. 9, which is connected through nipple with a suction hose372 connected with the vacuum pump @t (Fig. l). As shown in Fig. 8, thearcuate groove 2&3 is of such length and is so located Within the vacuumblock M2 that, for any given position of the roll 5l, only those ducts2M which are in the upper for- Ward segment of the roll communicate withthis groove. A vacuum or suction is thus constantly applied throughcertain of the holes 26,5 to the back of the adhesive strip 6l as therolls 5l and 58 feed the composite strip 6e, iii between them. Theprotective sheet de of glassine is removed and carried away around therubber covered roll 58 Ywhile the adhesive material Si is held againstit is separated from separating material thus described the rotation ofthe cam shaft I and cam- 25 will cause the lever 201 to reeilziroeatefirst in one direction andL then the other,` causing the spur gear 206and roller clutch 205k to rotate the vacuum roll 51 to a predeterminedextent in one direction while the roller clutch prevents this roll frombeing rotated in the other direction. The length of adhesive sheet whichis` fed by this reciprocating motion can be adjusted by adjusting thellocation of the member 2||1 on the lever 201.

When the adhesive she-et 5| has passed down below the lower end of the'arcuate suction groove 24'3 it is no longer' held against the vacuumroll 51 but falls freely therefrom down into the opening 25d`v wheresections are cut off and applied to the card by the cutting mechanism.

The adhesive'sheet 6| passes down over the guide 255 aixed to the plate252 at the rear of opening 254, this guide being shaped to cooperatewith the stream of air under pressure directed onto the exposed surfaceof the adhesive material from the air nozzle 255 supplied withcompressed airthrough hose 251 from a supply of compressed air notshown.

Adhesive cutting mechanism Located in` front of the separating mechanism56 above' described is the cutting unit 5|, best shown in Figs. l and 8.This unit has a box-like frame within which the cutting mechanism islocated, this frame including side plates 250 and 25|, top plate 252 andbottom plateriii, this structure being mounted onthe bed plate I belowand in front of the vacuum roll 51, with the adhesive sheet passing downthrough the opening 254 in the cover plate 252.

Located within this box-like structure is a supporting member 25@ havinggrooves in which the knife carrying plate 25| is slidabl-y fitted, thisplate having the knife blade 262 secured to its forward end and adaptedto cooperate with a lknife blade 262 secured to the under surface of thecover plate 252 back of the opening 254.

The front end of the knife carrying' plate 25| (the lefthand end in Fig.8) has a depending portion or lip 22| which is adaptedV to be engaged bythe catch 263 keyed to the shaft 281i journalled in bearings 255 and 265(see Hg. l). The rear end of the plate 26| (at the right in Fig. 8) hasa downwardly extending portion or lip 22|" against which a compressionspring 261 hears. One end of this spring is fitted over a pin 259 on thelip 2t! and the other end is seated in a recess formed in the block 2te.The knife plate 26| is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 8 bythe catch 263 but when this catch is released, the spring 251 causes theplate 22| and knife 262 to inove to the right and cut on" a section ofadhesive material.

The shaft 25d to which the arm 2613 is keyed, has a rearwardly extendingarm 21! with an opening therein through which a rod 212 passesy this rodhaving a collar 213 which in the position shown in Fig. 81 is held inengagement with the arm 210.

A bell crank lever 215 is mounted on shaft 218 and has a forwardlyextending arm 21e extending to a position just below the lock nut 21S onthe rod 212. The lever 215Yalso has a downwardly extending arm 211 witha pin over which one end of a compression spring 28|) extends, the otherend being 'seatedV in a recess formed in the block 28| secured to theplate 253. This lower arm 211 also has a ledge or projecting portion 14211 which in the position shown in Fig. 8 engages the underside 210' ofthe arm 216. Y

The lower end of the rod 212 is pivotally connected with one arm 282 ofa bell crank lever mounted in the bracket 283 and having a rod 2813leading. to a cam slide 225' (Fig. 2lb) which has a cam follower 285I inthe cam path 2e" of the earn 2li.

, When a predetermined length of the adhesive strip 6| has been feddownwardly through the opening 254 and past the knife blades 222, 262',the' lower portion thereof is drawn onto the rotatable suction plate 2&2(hereafter described) and is held thereon.

The construction and operation of the cutting mechanism is such that, asthe operating cam 2li revolves, the rod 212 will be moved downwardlyuntil the lock nut 2'19 acts on the 215, causing the lever 215 to rotatea counterclockwise direction against the pressure of the spring 22e.When the arm 211 has been moved to the right (Fig. S) to a sucientextent the ledge 211 suddenly releases' the arm' 216 so that the catch223 is no longer held in the position shown in Fig. S. When this occursthey spring 251 will cause the knife carrying plate 2ii| and the knifeblade 252 to move suddenly to the right to bring 'the knife blade 252into cutting engagement with the knife bladel 252 cutting off a portionof the ad-v hesive strip tl which is then held on the suction plate 289.

Thereafter as the cani` 22 rotates the rod 212 is moved upwardly to theposition shown in Fig. 8 and returns the knife oi-ade carrier Edi to theposition shown in Fig. 8 and returns the other parts of the apparatus tothe positions there shown. Y

Adhesive patch transfer and pressure applying mechanism As best shown inFigs. 8 and 9', the suction plate 239 is carried by a block 29@ mountedon an arm 29| which is keyed to a shaft 222. This shaft has' bearings293 and 29e in the arms 295 and 29S of a rocker lever 291 (see also Fig.l0). This leve-r is mounted on' shaft 2da supported by the side plates|62 and its and. has a rearwardly extending arni 299' which is pivotallyconnected at ESB to a block 323 slidably mounted on the roei 32|', thelower end of which is pivotally connected to a cam slide 395 1l andzlc)the cam follower 355 of which is seated in the earn path 24" of the cam24.. A compression spring we around the rod 39|' is supported at itslower endV by washer 30s and iock nuts @te and Sie. This spring forcesthe block 352 up against the washer 302 and lock nuts 395 and 33d.

The shaft 292 which carries the vacuum support arm 29| also has thesegment gear 3M keyed thereto and `this gear normally engages the spurgear 3|5 which is freely mounted on the shaft 201 and which is in. turn'actuated by the spur gear segment 318 of the lever 3i1 pivotallysupported by the shaft 20S and connected at its other end through anadjustable coupling tlg (of similar construction to the slide 4129 ofFigs. 16, 18 and l) with the rod 32|? connected through the adjustablecoupler 32| to the rod 322 which is pivotally connected with the camslide 323, having.

cam follower 323 (Figs. 8 and 22h) seated in the cam path 25 of the cam25.

Therarrangeinent is such that as the segment gearv MBT moves downwardlyfrom' the position shot/nin Fig.- 3y to that shown' in'Fig'. 1l, it willrotate the'g'ear sie and through it the segment gear 3M to the positionshown in Fig. 11. Thereafter the action of the cam 2d will cause thelever 291 to move from the position shown in full lines to those shownin dotted lines in Fig. l1, forcing the patch of adhesive material downonto the card. The spring 3&6 insures that the pressure will beyieldably applied Without injury to the card while still insuring thatthe adhesive patch will be firmly pressed. against the card. After thishas been applied the further rotation of the cam 2d will cause the lever2%1 to pivot in the opposite direction, bringing the teeth of thesegment gear t it back into engagement with the teeth of the gear fitti`after which the upward movement of the spur gear segment 318 willreturn the parts to the position shown in Fig. 8.

To insure accurate centering of the adhesive patch in the depression t9in the card around the opening fili, guide lugs 325 formed on the arm291 are engaged by and slide vertically downward in the grooves 325iformed in the block 321 which extends over the cover plate i4 at thislocation and is secured to the bedplate i. This block 321 is cut away toprovide an opening through which the vacuum arm 295, block 293, andplate 289 pass as they rotate and move downwardly from the positionshown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 1l. Portions of block 321are also cut away as indicated at 321' to permit the lugs 3225 to moveinto position over the tops of the grooves S35. The engagement of theguide lugs 325 in the grooves 326i prevents rotation of the shaft 2132when the segment gear 3M is disengaged frorn the gear t i as theadhesive patch is carried downwardly and applied to the card.

After the adhesive patch has been firmly pressed down onto the card overthe aperture, and while theplate 289 is still in this pressureapplyingposition, the suction by means of which the patch was held on the plateis released, so that the suction plate 285i and arm 29| can be movedupwardly to bring the gear segment 3M into engagement with the gear 3l5.This upward movement disengages the guide lugs 325 from the grooves 52dand the parts can then be returned by further operation of the cam 25and connected parts to the position shown in Fig. 8.

The vacuum mechanism by which the adhesive patch is held on the vacuumplate 289 is illustrated in Fig. 9. The shaft 292 is provided with acentral axial opening extending from the left end thereof to near thecentral portion thereof and a hollow tube is itted within this openingand has a flange 33E at its left end (Fig. 9) which is held in place bybolts 333 extending through openings therein into the bearing 29d andhaving springs 33a between their heads and the outer face of the flange331. A packing ring 332 is arranged around the tube 33@ between thelefthand end of the shaft 292 and the inner face of the flange 331, thesprings 531?. maintaining a tight fit between this packing 332 and theinner `face of the ilange. A nipple 335 is connected to the outer end ofthe tube 33@ `and is in turn connected by the hose 335 to a nipple 351threaded onto the delivery flange tile of the vacuum distributor unit34E shown in Figs. 12 and 13. This unit, subsequently described,supplies suction or vaciuun intermittently to the tube 33S.

Referring to Fig. 8, the axial opening in the tube 330 in the shaft 232is connected through a radial passage 331 to a passage 338 in the arm29! and a passage 339 in the block 290 to a suction chamber 340 formedin the block 296 (Figs.

f8 and 9).

16 Plate 289 is drilled with spaced holes 3M which communicate with thechamber 351i so that suction is applied through these holes to theadhesive strip to hold it on the suction plate while suction is beingapplied, releasing it when the suction is released.

As shown in Fig. 1 the vacuum distributor unit 3&5 is located on theleft end of the cam shaft l5. Referring to Figs. 12 and 13 the vacuumdistribution disc 3% is keyed to the end ofthe cam shaft l5. The flangemember Si is secured to the bracket and held in a stationary positionand a further flange member 341 is also secured to the flange member 343by 1bolts 353, the arrangement being such that the rotating vacuumdistributor disc 3515 rotates between the stationary flange members31151 and tilt. An oil ring Bild is provided for lubricating the shafti5.

The flange 341 has an opening 349 therethrough to which the nipple 35@is threaded, this nipple connecting through the hose 35i to the vacuumpump et (see Fig. l). The rotating disc 3&5 has a'shallow arcuate slot352 formed in the left face thereof (Figs. l2 and 13) and acorrespondingly located shallow arcuate slot 35S formed in the rightface thereof. Two holes 35@ and 355 are drilled through the rotatingdisc 3% and connect the slots 352 and 35?. The ilange 342i has a passage35 therein extending from the inner or left face (Fig. 13) to theperiphery thereof and the nipple 351 is threaded into the outer end ofthis passage to which the hose 33t is connected, this hose leading tothe vacuum plate 239 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 9. The faces of therotating disc 345 and the inner adjacent faces of the iianges 351 and34s are machined to give a close fit.

Vacuum or suction is continuously applied to the passage 3dS. As thedisc 3% rotates to bring the slot 352 into registry with this opeznngSts and simultaneously to bring into registry with passage 356, suctionhe ccmmunicated through the slot the holes and 5555i and the slot S53 tothe passage and the: through the hose to the tube 33d and to the suctionplate 23d to hold the adhesive strip Si against this suction plate. Thissuction applied when the adhesive patch is out ofi by the cutting knifeand is continued while the vac um plate carrying the adhesive patch ismoved 1,. the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown Fig. 1l and appliedto the card and pressed down onto the card. At this point in the cycleSe@ has rotated so that the slots 352 and moved past the position inwhich th registry with the passages Std terrupting and releasing thesuction so ti. adhesive patch is no longer held ag vacuum plate 233.Thereafter the suc on is raised and returned to the position shot Fig. 8and the adhesive strip is moved dot f1 wardly until another length isbro" t ol sit the suction plate 2539 when suction plied, another patchcut off. and the o is repeated.

In the operation oi the machine various operations take placesuccessively and airtoufiatiH cally and in timed relation.

Adhesive patch punch and die iuecicuissf 19 Feeding mechanism for cocerlayer strip or film strip After the opening has been punched in theadhesive patch the card is moved to the next station where a protectivecover sheet of glassine or the like or a nlm section is introduced intothe opening in the card against the adhesive surface `of thepressure-sensitive adhesive patch. This station is indicated generallyat 18 and 19 in Fig. 1 and the mechanism is shown in greater detail inFigs. 16 and 18.

A somewhat different arrangement of feeding mechanism is used when aprotective sheet of glassine is to -be inserted in the opening in thecard than when a microfilm section is to be so inserted. Referring toFig. l, it will be noted that the support member 83, supported by rod83' from bracket 84 has a holder 82 for supporting the guide roll 14 sothat the strip 60 of glassine, separated from the pressure-sensitiveadhesive strip 61, can be passed over the roll 14 and supplied to theunits 18 and 10. This arrangement provides for using the same glassinestrip which has been separated from the strip 25 of pressure sensitiveadhesive for supplying glassine cover sheets for inserting in theopenings in the cards as a protective coating.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the bracket 83 has a shaft 86secured thereto on.

which a roll 85 of microfilm or the like 81 is mounted. When theprotective cover sheet of glassine is not to be inserted in the openingsin the cards, and when instead a section of film is to be inserted, theroller 14 will be removed and the lm support shaft 86 inserted in thebracket 83. Whether the protective cover sheet or film is to be used,the operation is much the same, except in respects hereafter pointedout.

The strip of glassine 60 or the strip of micro-, 4`

film 81 passes down over an idler roll 15 (Figs.

41 and 16) and then around the back side of the rubber covered roll 16and between the bottom portion of this roll and the top portion of therubber covered roll 420 (Fig. 16). The idler roll y15 is mounted on ashaft 400 and the rubber covered roll 16 is keyed to the shaft 4'01having bearings supported by the bracket 84 attached to the uppersurface of the bedplate 1.

Also mounted on the bracket or support mem- .ber 84 is a shaft 403carrying lever 402, the rear or righthand end of which has a segmentgear 404 which engages a spur gear 405 fixed to the shaft 406. Thisshaft 406, as shown in Fig. 1, extends to the adhesive strip feeding,patch cutting and applying mechanism 50, 51 shown" in Fig. 8, and isoperated by the cam 25 and connecting mechanism described in connectionwith Fig. 8, this shaft 400 also having the spur gear 401 thereonengaging with the segment gear 208 4the lever 402, and this slide can beadjusted lengthwise on said side arms by the adjusting bolt 408 whichpasses through the cross member 409" at the ends of the arms ofthe lever402 (see Figs. 18 and l).

The roller clutch 411 is similar to the roller clutch 205 of Fig. 9 andserves a similar purpose.

[iii

It is reciprocated on the shaft 411111 much as the roller clutch 205 isreciprocated on the shaft 201 and causes the roll 16 to move with theclutch in one direction but not in the other, thus providing forintermittent movement of the roll 16 in much the same manner that theroll 51 of Figs. 8 and 9 is moved.

The rubber covered roll 420 is a pressure roll for pressing against therubber covered roll 16 to hold the glassine strip or film firmlytherebetween. This roll 420 is mounted on a shaft 421 carried by rockerarms 422 pivotally supported by shaft 424 supported in bearings in thebracket 411 secured to the bed plate 1. The other ends 425 of the rockerarms 422 have recesses in which compression springs 426 are located, theother ends of these springs being in recesses in the bracket 411. Thesesprings act to keep the roll 420 pressed against the roll 16. The roll420 also has a gear 429 meshing with the gear 428 on the roll 16 so thatthese rolls will rotate together and in opposite directions. The depthof the gear teeth, however, is such that the gears do not press againsteach other but permit the roll 420 to be pressed against the roll 16 bythe action of the compression springs 426. A hand lever 421 mounted onthe shaft 424 permits rotating the rocker arms 422 and the shaft 424against the spring pressure to lower the roll 420 to permit threading ofthe glassine strip or lm between this roll and the roll 16.

A horizontal guide assembly is located beneath the bed plate 1 to conveythe lm or cover strip from the rubber covered pressure rolls 16, 420 tothe die mechanism 19. This guide assembly includes the block 411 securedto the bed plate and a guide plate therein and a trough 415 in the formof -a thin metal strip or slotted groove through which the microfilm orglassine paper strip travels. The form of this strip is shown in Fig.18. It has curved lateral edges extending upwardly and inwardly and hasa width conforming generally to the width of the glassine strip or lm tomaintain it in centered position. This trough 415 is cut away at itsleft end (Fig. 16) to provide an opening therethrough for the lowerpunch member 12. The upwardly extending side portions 415 are alsoterminated short of the lefthand end, as shown in Fig. 17. The guideassembly is also shown as provided with a glass observation plate 418,also shown in Fig. 17, through which a film can be observed from the topof the machine.

The operation of the feed mechanism for the glassine strip or nlm isintermittent and is similar to the intermittent feed of the adhesivestrip `and glassine strip described in connection with Figs. 8 and 9. Asthe lever 201 of Fig. 8 is reciprocated by its cam 25 and connectingmechanism it acts both on the gear 206 connected to the roller clutch205 of Fig. 9 and on the spur gear 401 mounted on the shaft 406 (Fig.8), on which the spur gear 405 (Fig. 16) is also mounted. As this shaftis reciprocated it reciprocates the lever 402 and the connecting rod 408and the roller clutch 411. As the shaft 406 is thus rctated in acounterclockwise direction (Fig. 16)

the lever 402 is rotated in a. clockwise direction,

raising the rod 408 and the arm 410 and turning the rollerclutch 41 1 ina clockwise direction with corresponding turning of the roll 16.Reciprocal movement of the shaft 406 in a clockwise direction causes theroller clutch to move in a counterclockwise direction withoutcorresponding movement of the roll 76, The resulting intermittentpressure supplied by the plate445. The same upward movement of the punchaccordingly will cut out a section of the cover strip or film and forceit upwardly into the opening in the card and against the under adhesivesurface of the adhesive material in the opening. Further operation ofthe cam mechanism will raise the backing plate and lower the diemechanism to permit the nished card to be moved to the next station andanother card to be moved into place.

The rolls 16, 420 by which the feeding of the strip of cover sheet or lmis eiected are actuated by the cam 25 through their connecting mechanismand are so timed with reference to the punching and aixing operationsthat a fresh section of paper or nlm will be fed intermittently in timedrelation and will then be punched to remove a section therefrom and havethe section applied to the opening in the card, and these operationswill be repeated intermittently as successive cards are moved into placeas the finished cards are removed.

Completed-card stacking mechanism The finished cards, produced by theoperations above described, may be collected and stored in any suitablemanner but are advantageously com bined and stacked in stackingmechanism provided and operated as a part of the mechanism of thecompleted machine.

The stacking mechanism is shown in perspective in Fig. 1 and in moredetail in Fig. 18.

Counting mechanism for counting the cards before stacking is alsoillustrated. As the card with the glassine cover sheet or lm mounted inthe opening is moved from the station above described to the stackingmechanism the leading edge of the card slides under a counting wheel 9iwhich extends through an opening in the plate M and rests lightly in thefeed trough 3&5. rThis counting wheel is supported on one arm of acounting lever 92 which is pivotally supported above the top surface ofthe bed plate i and which has a vertical arm which actuates amicro-switch 93, which through suitable electric connections activatesan electric counter 94 (Fig. l).

The iinished cards are moved successively past the counting wheel by thelast feed latch 3l of the card feeding mechanism previously describedand are brought successively to a position beneath the hopper 38 wherethey are supported by the stacking plate 95.

Surrounding the stacking plate 3,5 and vertically mounted on the top ofthe bed plate l are the side frames of the stacking hopper which f isshown as constructed in a manner similar to that of the hopper 30.Mounted on the side and end plates of the hopper are pivoted iingers SSsupported in blocks 466 and being spring pressed by springs 4M. Thehopper plates are cut away at the bottom to permit lthe lower ends et'of these iingers to project into the hopper. These projecting portionsare bevelled upwardly and have a horizontal ledge as shown in Fig. 18.

The stacking plate S5 is mounted on a block itt and is carried by an arm86, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to a link 91 which inturn is pivotally connected with the bell crank lever 452 through thearm 463. rihe other-arm 464 has a cam follower 464' operated by the campath 23 of the cam 2B (see also Fig. 25). The lever 462 is pivotallysupported by a bracket depending from the bed plate. I

Also attached to the block 460 is a downwardly extending guide pin 465,extending downwardly -through the guide block 46| through which the rodtalso extends.

As each completed card is moved into position on the stacking plate 95,the cam 23 and its connecting mechanism raise said plate and therewiththe card and move it upwardly into the bottom portion of the hopper,forcing the edges of the card past the projecting portions 99' of thefinger members 99 so that the cards will be supported thereby. In thisupward movement the stacking plate is guided by the arm 96 and the pinlitt moving in guides formed in the guide block del. As each card isthus moved up into place the stacking plate stops and is returned to theposition shown in Fig. 18, where it is ready to receive the next card.

While in the foregoing description the various stations and mechanismshave been more or less separately described, it will be understood thatall of the operating parts are driven by the same drive shaft and camshaft and through the various cams and cam operated connections so thatthe various operations are taking place simultaneously on differentcards and successively on the same card and in timed relation.

Thus the card feed mechanism will simultaneously move a card from thecard feed hopper to the card cutting and compressing station, anothercard with the opening cut therein from that station to the next stationwhere the adhesive material is cut out and applied thereto, another cardwith the adhesive material applied thereto from that station to thestation where the central portion of the adhesive material is cut out,another card from that station to the station where the protective sheetor film is inserted in the card, and another card in finished conditionfrom such station to the stacking hopper. During the short time intervalthat each card is in position in the different stations the variousoperations that are carried out at the different stations will takeplace. And the cards from these successive operations will then be movedalong to the next operation. A large number of blank cards can thus beconverted into finished cards in a rapid and automatic manner.

In the foregoing description only a single aperture is punched in thecard but it will be understood that a card may have two or more openingstherein, with adhesive applied thereto and protective cover sheets oriilrns mounted therein. By taking cards which have passed once throughthe machine and reversing their ends and passing them through againcards may be prepared with two openings having adhesive applied theretoand with cover sheets or films in the opening.

By turning the cards over and putting them through again a third openingcan be provided, etc. 1

The improved apparatus of the present invention is particularlyadvantageous for carrying out the complete series of operations abovedescribed. It is also well adapted for use in carryby which thecompressing operation is carried out can be omitted or renderedinactive.

So also, where it is desired to have the transparent adhesive patchextend over the entire opening,

